NASHVILLE — A female clouded leopard cub named Mayuree was born at Nashville Zoo on May 5, 2026. This birth marks the first time the zoo has successfully co-reared a clouded leopard cub, involving the mother raising the cub while staff conduct socialization sessions.

Mayuree is the 51st clouded leopard born at Nashville Zoo since 1991, and she is the fourth cub born to parents Niran and Ron. The cub weighed slightly more than two pounds.

During the pregnancy and labor, zoo animal care staff monitored the mother using a camera. Following the birth, the staff observed the mother and cub for 72 hours to ensure maternal bonding and nursing. Approximately one week after Mayuree's arrival, the veterinary team conducted a neonatal examination.

The zoo's animal care team began socialization sessions with the cub when she was one week old. These sessions increased in frequency and duration in the weeks that followed. The mother will continue to raise the cub until the weaning process is complete. After weaning, the cub will be paired with a playmate and then displayed to the public.

Heather Schwartz, Director of Veterinary Services at Nashville Zoo, addressed the challenges associated with clouded leopard reproduction and cub rearing. "Clouded leopard reproduction and cub rearing are notoriously challenging, with high rates of parental predation or neglect, so cubs are frequently hand-reared, but because Niran is doing a wonderful job caring for Mayuree, we have been able to co-rear a clouded leopard cub until they are weaned for the first time in Zoo history."

Clouded leopards are indigenous to the tropical lowlands of Southeast Asia, including regions such as Nepal and Bangladesh. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature classifies clouded leopards as vulnerable to extinction. Researchers estimate the wild population includes around 10,000 individuals.